Animal-trap.



No., 680,617. Patented Aug. I3, |90I.

W GUESENBERRY ANIMAL TRAP.l

(Appl t nl dlay 18 1901 (No Model.)

i NITED STATES nrlnNr Fries.

IVALKER QUESENBERRY, OF PHILLIPS, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMAS QUESENBERRY, OF SAME PLACE.

ANIMALTRAP.

SPEGEFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 680,617",l dated August 13, 1901.

Application tiled May 18,1901. Serial No. 60,918. (No model..l

To all whom, it may concern,.-

Beit known that LWALKER QUESENBERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Phillips, in the county of Floyd and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Animal-Trap, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to animal-traps, and has for its object to provide an improved device which is especially designed for catching moles and arranged to be sprung bythe passage of a mole through that portion of the run or hill to which the trap may be applied. It is furthermore designed to arrange the device for convenience in moving from place to place and to facilitate the-setting thereof.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of part-s, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being nnderstood that changes iu the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing there has been shown a perspective view of a mole-trap constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention.

In carrying out the invent-ion there are provided opposite pairs of outwardly and downwardly inclined standards 1 and 2, the upper ends of which are connected by means of a skeleton top frame 3. The members of each pair of standards are connected by suitable cross-bars, and the corresponding members of the opposite pairs are connected by the respective frame-bars 4.

Supported between the frame-bars 4 is a fixed cross-head 5, having a substantially central polygonal opening for the slidable reception of a polygonal stem 6, which carries at its lower end a head or plate 7, provided with l a plurality of rows of impaling-pins S, which 11 embraces the guide-rod 9 and bears in opposite directions against the under side of the fixed guide-block 10 and the marginal shoulder 12, formed upon the stem by the reduced portion thereof, whereby the impaling device is under a normal downward tension or pressure.

For setting the ilnpaling device in an elevated position against the tension of the spring there is provided a trigger 13, which loosely rests in a notch or seat formed in the intermediate portion of the top of a cross-bar 14, connecting the members of the front pair of standards and located above the connecting frame-bars 4. The longer portion of the trigger is projected at the outer side of the frame, and to the inner shorter end portion there is secured a flexible connection-as, for instance, a chain lai-which has its opposite lower end connected to the impaling device at or adjacent to the lower end of the stem.

The trigger is normally held in an outwardly and downwardly inclined position, so as to raise the impaling device by means of a lever 16, which has its inner end fulcrumed to the under side of a cross-bar 17, lying below the cross-bar 14 and provided in its upper side and adjacent to its free outer end with a notch or seat 18 for the reception of the lower free end of the trigger. By having the lever 16 fulcrumed to the under side of the cross-bar it will strike the same, and thereby have its upward movement limited, so as vto lock the trigger.

To trip the lever 16, there is provided a triplever 19, which is fulcrumed intermediate of its ends to a bottom cross-bar 20, connecting the lower ends of the standard members 2, with its lon ger end portion projected inwardly and lying beneath the impaling device. Be'- tween the outer ends of the trip-lever 19 and the setting-lever 16 there is a flexible connection formed by a chain 21, provided with op posite terminal links or rings 22 and 23, which respectively embrace the outer ends of the setting-lever and the trip-lever, so that a downward movement of the outer end of the trip-lever will draw the setting-lever downwardly, thereby tripping or releasing the trigger and permitting of the impaling device being driven downwardly by the spring.

It will be understood that the frame of the trap is placed over a mole run or hill with the inner end portion of the trip-lever rested upon the top of the hill or thrust into the same, so that it is impossible for a mole to pass in either direction through the run without elevating the inner end of the trip-lever, and thus liberate the impaling device, which is thrust downwardly to impale the mole in a positive and eective manner.

The under side of the outer portion of the trip-lever is notched, as at 24, to form a plurality of seats for the adjustable reception of the lower ring 23 to accommodate the chain to the inclination of the trip-lever.

What is claimed is- Y l. An animal-trap, comprising a frame, a vertically-movable spring-actuated impaling device, a trigger fulcrumed intermediate of its ends upon the frame, a connection between the inner end of the trigger and the impaling device for holding the latter elevated against the tension of the spring, a settingleverfulcrumed upon the frame and below the trigger and also limited in its upward swing, the upper face of the setting-lever having a Seat constructed for the removable reception of the outer free end of the trigger, and a triplever fulcrumed intermediate of its ends upon the frame and below the setting-lever, the inner end of the trip-lever being located below the impaling device and in line therewith,

and its outer end being connected to the setting-lever.

2. In an animal-trap, the combination with a frame comprising corner uprights and connecting cross-bars, of lupper and lower guidesi an impaling-stem slidably mounted in the guides, a coiled spring embracing the stem and bearing in opposite directions against the frame and the stem to force the latter downwardly, a cross-head upon the lower end of the stem and provided with im paling-pins, a pair of cross-bars upon the front of the frame, a trigger having its intermediate portion loosely fulcrumed in a notch formed in the top of the upper cross-bar, there being a connectionbetw'een the inner end of the trigger and the impaling device tohold the latter elevated against the tension of the spring, a setting-lever fulcrumed at its inner end to the under side of the lower cross-bar, the latter forming a stop to limit the upward movementor' said lever, there beinganotch formed in the top of the outer portion of the lever and constructed for the detachable reception of the outer free end of the trigger, a triplever fulcrumed upon the frame with its inner end portion lying alined below the impaling device, and a flexible connection having opposite terminal rings respectively embracingthe outer free ends of the setting-lever and the trip-lever, the under side of the latter having a plurality of seats for the adjustable reception of the adjacent ring.

y In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my si gnature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WALKER QUESENBERRY. Witnesses:

S. G. CONDUFF, H. G. CALDWELL. 

